Bankstown - South
Statistical Area - sa2

Bankstown - South lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Bankstown - South's population is approximately 19,134 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 700 people, a 3.8% rise from the 2021 Census which recorded a population of 18,434. This change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 19,137 in June 2024 and an additional 64 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density stands at 4,329 persons per square kilometer, placing Bankstown - South within the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, indicating high demand for land in the area. Over the past decade, Bankstown - South has shown robust growth with a compound annual growth rate of 1.5%, outperforming its SA3 region. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth, contributing approximately 71.9% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 with a base year of 2021 are utilized. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, Bankstown - South is forecast to experience significant population growth, increasing by 7,701 persons to 2041, a total gain of 40.3%.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Bankstown - South among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Bankstown - South has seen approximately 211 new homes approved annually. Development approval data from the ABS is on a financial year basis, with 1059 homes approved over the past five financial years, ranging from FY-20 to FY-25, and six approvals so far in FY-26. On average, around 3.5 new residents have arrived per dwelling constructed each year during these five financial years. This has led to a significant gap between supply and demand, indicating heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures.

The average construction value of new homes is $398,000, which is below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers. In terms of commercial development, $54.1 million in approvals have been recorded this financial year, reflecting strong momentum. Compared to Greater Sydney, Bankstown - South has about three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person. Nationally, it ranks among the 62nd percentile of areas assessed.

New building activity shows a skew towards compact living, with 31% detached houses and 69% townhouses or apartments. This trend offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. The area has approximately 469 people per dwelling approval, reflecting an established population. Future projections indicate Bankstown - South adding 7704 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply is expected to readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Bankstown - South has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 41 projects that could affect this region. Notable projects include Sydney Metro Bankstown Line Conversion, Sydney Metro City & Southwest - Sydenham to Bankstown (T3 Conversion), Bankstown Exchange (Stage 1 of Bankstown Central), and Appian Way and North Terrace Drainage Upgrades. The following list details those most relevant:.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

AreaSearch assessment indicates Bankstown - South faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Bankstown - South has a well-educated workforce with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate was 8.5% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 2.0%.

As of June 2025, 8,587 residents are employed, but the unemployment rate is higher than Greater Sydney's at 4.3%, indicating room for improvement. Workforce participation lags behind Greater Sydney, at 44.9% compared to 60.0%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing, with a strong specialization in manufacturing (1.7 times the regional level). However, professional & technical services are under-represented, with only 7.0% of Bankstown - South's workforce compared to Greater Sydney's 11.5%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work, based on Census data analysis. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 2.0%, labour force grew by 2.5%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 0.5 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.6% and an unemployment rate increase of 0.3 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41%, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%, favourable to the national rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts project a growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between sectors. Applying these projections to Bankstown - South's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.2% over five years and 13.2% over ten years.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

AreaSearch's data from financial year 2022 shows Bankstown - South had a median income of $39,796 and an average income of $49,900. These figures are lower than national averages. Greater Sydney's median income was $56,994 and average income was $80,856 in the same period. By March 2025, estimated incomes based on a 10.6% Wage Price Index growth would be approximately $44,014 (median) and $55,189 (average). The 2021 Census reported Bankstown - South's household income at the 24th percentile ($1,355 weekly), with personal income at the 5th percentile. Income distribution shows that 31.2% of locals earned between $1,500 and $2,999 per week. This is similar to the regional pattern where 30.9% fall within this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 76.7% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 17th percentile.

Bankstown - South features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Bankstown - South's dwelling structure in its latest Census showed 36.2% houses and 63.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Sydney metro's 61.5% houses and 38.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bankstown - South stood at 24.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 24.9% and rented ones at 50.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,820, lower than Sydney metro's $2,240. Median weekly rent in Bankstown - South was $415, compared to Sydney metro's $425. Nationally, Bankstown - South's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially higher than the national figure of $375.

Bankstown - South features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 74.3% of all households, including 37.3% couples with children, 18.4% couples without children, and 16.4% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 25.7%, with lone person households at 21.1% and group households making up 4.6% of the total. The median household size is 3.0 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 3.1.

Educational outcomes in Bankstown - South fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

Bankstown - South's residents aged 15+ have a university degree qualification rate of 28.3%, compared to Greater Sydney's 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 19.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.2%). Vocational pathways account for 24.1% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 10.6% and certificates at 13.5%. Educational participation is high, with 35.3% currently enrolled in formal education: primary (10.0%), secondary (8.4%), tertiary (7.8%).

Seven schools operate within Bankstown - South, educating approximately 3,171 students. These schools demonstrate typical Australian school conditions, with an ICSEA score of 968 and balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes three primary, two secondary, and two K-12 schools.

Transport servicing is high compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Bankstown-South has 90 active transport stops, served by 48 routes offering 13,107 weekly passenger trips. These stops provide excellent accessibility, with residents typically located 141 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 1,872 trips per day, equating to approximately 145 weekly trips per individual stop.

Service frequency averages 1,872 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 145 weekly trips per individual stop.

Bankstown - South's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Health outcomes data shows excellent results for Bankstown - South, particularly among younger age groups who have a very low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 46% (~8,820 people) of the total population has private health cover, compared to Greater Sydney's 48.6%. Nationally, this figure stands at 55.3%.

Diabetes and arthritis are the most prevalent medical conditions in the area, affecting 5.3% and 5.0% of residents respectively. A total of 79.4% of residents claim to be completely free from medical ailments, compared to Greater Sydney's 75.8%. The area has 14.7% (2,806 people) of residents aged 65 and over, lower than Greater Sydney's 15.8%. Health outcomes among seniors in Bankstown - South are above average and warrant more attention than the broader population.

Bankstown - South is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Bankstown-South is one of Australia's most culturally diverse areas, with 61.1% of its population born overseas and 81.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Bankstown-South, comprising 35.1% of the population. However, Buddhism stands out with 13.9%, significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 6.7%.

The top three ancestry groups are Other (24.7%), Vietnamese (22.3%, substantially higher than the regional average of 8.5%), and Lebanese (12.4%). Other ethnic groups show notable variations: Macedonian is overrepresented at 2.1% (vs 1.7% regionally), Greek at 3.1% (vs 3.4%), and Samoan at 0.7% (vs 0.5%).

Bankstown - South hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Bankstown-South's median age is 34 years, which is lower than Greater Sydney's average of 37 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Bankstown-South has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 (18.4%) but fewer residents aged 35-44 (13.6%). Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the proportion of residents aged 65-74 has increased from 7.2% to 8.5%. Conversely, the percentage of residents aged 5-14 has decreased from 12.2% to 11.3%. By the year 2041, significant demographic changes are projected for Bankstown-South, with the 45-54 age group expected to grow by 53%, adding 1,164 residents and reaching a total of 3,369 residents in that cohort.